Poll: Pritzker, Rauner Lead Primaries

Pritzker attacked Chris Kennedy’s record on tuition hikes in a new TV ad.

Venture capitalist J.B. Pritzker (D) and Gov. Bruce Rauner (R) each led their respective March 20 primaries by double digits in a new Southern Illinois University Paul Simon Public Policy Institute poll (Feb. 19-25).

“The sample was not weighted to reflect voters more likely to go to the polls based on past voting history and was not adjusted for historical racial and age demographics or turnout. For example, African-Americans make up about one-third of the state’s Democratic primary vote. But of Democratic voters surveyed in the poll, only 19 percent were black based on those giving their race or ethnicity to pollsters.” (Chicago Tribune)

NEW LINE OF ATTACK. Pritzker is running a TV ad attacking Kennedy for voting “five times … to raise tuition as chair of the board at the University of Illinois.” (Capitol Fax)

Pritzker also released a TV ad Wednesday featuring the Chicago Sun-Times’s endorsement. (release)

CHICAGOLAND. “Kennedy reported nearly $140,000 in contributions, including $100,000 from former White House Chief of Staff Bill Daley and $5,000 from Robert Creamer, husband of Democratic U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky of Evanston.”

“Troy LaRaviere, a former Chicago Public Schools principal and President of the Chicago Principals and Administrators Association, endorsed … Kennedy. … LaRaviere is exploring a run for mayor next year.” (Chicago Tribune)

LIGHT READING. Ives’s campaign released a book by Chicago Republican Party Chairman Chris Cleveland titled, The Governor You Don’t Know: The Other Side of Bruce Rauner. (release)